


A Lifetime of Love

by angelus2hot



Category: Hercules: The Legendary Journeys
Genre: Angst, Community: smallfandomfest, F/M, Fluff, Het, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-14
Updated: 2013-01-14
Packaged: 2017-11-25 10:55:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/638149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angelus2hot/pseuds/angelus2hot
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hercules is rewarded.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Lifetime of Love

**Author's Note:**

> **Title:** A Lifetime of Love  
>  **Fandom:** Hercules the Legendary Journeys  
>  **Characters/Pairing:** Hercules/Deianeira  
>  **Rating:** PG-13  
>  **Word Count:** 1,672  
>  **Summary:** Hercules is rewarded.  
>  **A/N:** written for [Smallfandomfest](http://smallfandomfest.livejournal.com/profile) fest 12

Months had passed since Hera had taken his family and oddly the world had kept on turning. People had still come to him for help. And although, he had kept trying to help those who needed him, his heart wasn’t in it. Not like it used be.

“Is this all you do now, Hercules?”

Hercules stopped in his tracks as he turned to stare at the man beside him. He was stunned to see Hades staring back at him. “Hades? What are you doing here?”

“Don’t sound so happy to see me.” His voice dripped with sarcasm.

“Sorry, You know it’s great to see you.” It really was. Hades was almost the only god he could stand. “I only meant...” There really was no better way to put it. “What are you doing here?”

“After everything that has happened, can’t I be worried about you?” At the doubtful look on Hercules’ face he continued, “Not buying it, huh?” 

Hercules shook his head. If any of the gods ever worried about him it would have been a miracle and a day for celebration. Hell, it would be worth a year of celebration. 

“Persephone’s pregnant.” He hadn’t meant to say it like that. The words had simply tumbled out of his mouth without warning. 

“What did you say?”

He quickly repeated the words. “Persephone’s pregnant.” He could understand Hercules’ shock. After all he could barely believe it himself.

It was all he could do not to ask how, he hadn’t thought it was possible for Hades to father children but somehow he managed to stop himself. He really, really didn’t want to know. Hercules clapped Hades on the back as he shook the other man’s hand. “Congratulations! I know you’re going to be....” His words trailed off as he got a closer look at Hades’ face. “What’s wrong? Speaking from experience this news is one for celebration. So, why do you look as if Cerberus has died?” 

Hades shot him a look. “You know what I meant.”

“It’s Demeter.”

_Why am I not surprised?_ “What’s she done now?” If he knew Persephone’s mother, and he did, it was going to be a doozy. 

“She’s insisting that Persephone come home. She says the Underworld isn’t the place to have, much less raise a child. I don’t want to lose her, Hercules. I can’t.” 

“Just tell her no.”

Hades rolled his eyes. “Don’t you think I tried that already? She’s said that she would freeze the world if I didn’t release my wife to her. When I said to go ahead that it wouldn’t reach me and Persephone, she said....” He let his words trail off. He couldn’t believe she had actually threatened to....

“What? What did she say?”

The God of the Underworld shook his head and pretended not to have been momentarily shook up at the thought of losing his wife. “That she would go to Zeus. She’s going to petition him to intervene on her behalf.”

A sigh of relief went through Hercules. “But you know Zeus, if it doesn’t involve him or a woman he wants he’s not going to do anything.” Hercules couldn’t keep the bitterness from creeping into his voice. 

“Maybe not. But what about Hera?”

_Damn!_ Hera would do it. After all, he was the one who had helped negotiate the deal to keep Hades and Persephone together. She would destroy them just because of her hatred of him. “What do you want me to do?”

“Talk to Zeus.”

Hercules was already shaking his head. “Didn’t you hear what I said? He’s not going to....”

He quickly interrupted. “Please, Hercules.”

With a huge sigh, Hercules gave in. “Okay. But if this doesn’t....”

Whatever he was going to say was cut off as Hades snapped his fingers and Hercules disappeared. 

 

Two hours later and Hercules appeared in the Underworld. He really hated traveling like that!

“Well, what did he say?” Hades didn’t beat around the bush but got straight to the point.

If he knew what he had to say wasn’t so important to Hades, he could’ve dragged it out and made the god suffer a little more but Hercules wasn’t that type of man. “Don’t ask me how I did it but for some reason Zeus agreed.” At the huge smile that threatened to split Hades face in two, Hercules quickly continued, “He did give in to one of Demeter’s requests.”

_Damn!_ “What did she want?”

“She’s asked that Persephone give birth above.”

Hades began to pace the floor in anger. “Damn it, Hercules! That’s the one she wanted the most. She’ll keep Persephone there and I won’t be able to get her back.” 

Hercules reached out and grabbed Hades’ arm effectively pulling him to a stop. “You didn’t let me finish. For that brief time, you will be allowed to stay with her above too. When the time comes to leave, you will be able to escort your wife and child back with you.”

“What if...”

Hercules smiled. “Did I forget to mention Zeus will be there as well just in case?”

A beautiful smile pulled at the corners of Hades’ mouth as he let a wave of relief wash over him. It felt as if the weight of the world had been lifted from his shoulders.

“Not that you care in the least but Zeus also agreed to make sure Demeter didn’t freeze the world in her anger.”

Hades had the good grace to blush. “It’s not that I.....”

Persephone, who had remained quiet the whole time quickly interrupted. “It’s okay, Hades. We know you didn’t mean it the way it sounded. You’re just a big old softy.”

His blush deepened as Hercules mouthed the words “Big, old softy?”

Hades shot his wife a stern look before he clasped Hercules’ shoulder in gratitude.

After shaking Hades’ hand and wishing the two of them good luck, Hercules turned and began to walk away.

 

“Can’t we do something for him, Hades?”

“Like what? What do you want me to do?”

Persephone glared at her husband. As much as she loved the man he could be so dense sometimes! “Oh, I don’t know. I just thought that maybe you would like to reward him for paving the way for you to be allowed to see your child grow up. That’s all.”

Hades grimaced. She was right. But then again his wife was pretty much always right. Without another word Hades waved his arm and a window to the Elysian Fields opened. He watched silently as Hercules eyes filled with tears as he stared at his wife. “You can have twenty-four hours to be with her.” At the look on Hercules’ face he quickly held up his hand. “But there are rules. Don’t eat, anything. Don’t worry you won’t be hungry.” Hades paused to let what he had said sink in before he finished speaking. “And the most important rule of all. When you’re leaving, no matter what happens, don’t look back. Because if you do you will be stuck here.”

Persephone slipped her arms around her husband’s waist. “I told you that you were a nice man.”

He quickly pulled her around to face him. “Shh! How many times do I have to tell you not to say that out loud?” He growled in mock anger. 

She giggled as he gently bit her lip. “I’m sorry. I forgot. I meant to say. You’re a mean, mean god, Hades.”

“That’s more like it.”

She smiled as she watched Deianeira run to greet her husband. She wished there was something else she could for her and Hercules but she knew the rules just as well as her husband. Like Hercules, she would just have to be content with the time allotted to them.

 

 

“Hercules?” She threw her arms wide as she ran into her arms. 

“Deianeira.” He whispered her name against the top of her head as he pulled her closer to the warmth of his body. He couldn’t believe this was happening. After so long he was finally holding his wife in his arms once again.

She stared up into her husband’s blue eyes in wonder. “How are you here?”

“Does it matter?”

She smiled up at him. Hercules was right. It didn’t matter in the least. The only thing that did was that he was there with her. She would take any time with him she could get. 

 

Twenty-four hours with Deianeira had flown by as if they were mere seconds. They had talked and loved more in those few hours than most people did in a lifetime of being together. And even though he could have wished for more time, he treasured every second he had gotten to spend with his wife.

“I wish I could stay.” He whispered as he pulled her closer and gently kissed her lips. 

“But you can’t. I understand.” She let her hands cup the side of his face before sliding down his arms to grip his sides. “The world needs you, Hercules.”

“What about you?”

“I will always need you.” Deianeira laid her head against his chest. She was determined not to cry. She was going to pretend as if this would be like any other time he had left her. Eventually, he would come back. He always did.

Gently, he placed his fingers under her chin and lifted until she looked him in the eyes. Tears filled his eyes as he stared down at his wife, the woman he loved. “I will miss you, Deianeira.” 

“As I will miss you.” She pressed her lips to his chest. “I love you.”

“I love you too, baby.” His arms tightened around her. “I will always love you.”

With one last hug, one last kiss, Hercules turned and began to walk away. Even though every fiber of his being begged him to he didn’t look back. He couldn’t. He knew the rules.

Although he had to leave the Underworld, he left a part of himself with Deianeira. His heart. It would stay with her. Forever.


End file.
